Former ‘All That’ child star Bryan Hearne accuses Nickelodeon of racism, claims being referred to as ‘piece of charcoal’ on set
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Bryan Hearne has opened up about the time when he worked as a child artist for the Nickelodeon sketch comedy ‘All That’.
In a new documentary series, titled ‘Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV’, available on the Investigation Discovery channel, Hearne accused Nickelodeon of racial stereotyping, People reported.
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Bryan Hearne alleges ill-treatment on ‘All That’ set
He disclosed, “I was referred to as a ‘piece of charcoal’ [by an adult]. Remarks like that are harmful. They stay with you.”
Mentioning his experience of playing the role of a rapper named “Lil Fetus” on ‘All That’, the 35-year-old shared, “I was already in an uncomfortable position being in a leotard. That's not something that I'm used to at all.”
Bryan Hearne called ‘On-Air Dare’ torture chamber
The former child actor also spoke about ‘On-Air Dare’, which was reportedly a children’s version of ‘Fear Factor’, where any child was selected randomly for the challenge.
He said, “There was never any discussion. We felt like we couldn't say no.”
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“It was a really uncomfortable situation, and after a while it felt like we were just part of this torture chamber,” Hearne added.
Giovonnie Samuels too alleged racism on ‘All That’ set
Another child actor who claimed to have faced bias for their race was Giovonnie Samuels.
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She revealed, “You're always asking yourself, 'Do I speak up?' And if I do speak up, will I lose my job? Or do I just let it go?"
“Dan Schneider was that guy that could, if he liked you, you would get a spinoff, you would get another show. I understood that reverence and I guess, I shied away from it,” referring to the ‘All That’ creator, the 38-year-old actress added.
Nickelodeon issues statement
Nickelodeon has, however, said in a statement, “Though we cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions decades ago, Nickelodeon as a matter of policy investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct.”
It added, “Our highest priorities are the well-being and best interests not just of our employees, casts, and crew, but of all children, and we have adopted numerous safeguards over the years to help ensure we are living up to our own high standards and the expectations of our audience.”
